Colonial nesting

Colonial nesting is a breeding pattern in which many pairs of animals nest close together in a shared area. It is common among birds and also occurs in some other animals.

Colonial breeding: A reproductive strategy in which animals gather in groups to breed, sometimes without nesting close together. Nesting colonies are one form of the broader tendency to aggregate at breeding sites.
Seabird colony: A breeding aggregation of seabirds that nest on coastal or oceanic sites. Seabirds provide some of the most conspicuous examples of colonial nesting.
Solitary nesting: A breeding pattern in which each pair nests apart from other breeding pairs. It is the direct spatial alternative to nesting in a colony.
Seabird conservation: The protection and recovery of seabirds, their breeding sites, and the marine ecosystems they depend on. Protecting nesting colonies often requires safeguarding both breeding sites and nearby feeding waters.
Information centre hypothesis: A hypothesis that animals at a communal roost gain foraging information by observing successful group members. It proposes one way nesting or roosting groups can help individuals locate food.
Rookery: A breeding site where many birds, especially colonial waterbirds, gather to nest. The term commonly describes dense nesting aggregations of herons, egrets, and related birds.
Territoriality: The defense of an area against other individuals, usually to secure resources or breeding opportunities. Strong nest-site defense can prevent the close spacing characteristic of colonies.
Habitat fragmentation: The division of continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Fragmented habitat can remove or isolate the limited sites suitable for colonies.
Many eyes hypothesis: The idea that group members collectively detect predators more effectively than isolated individuals. More nearby adults can increase vigilance around a breeding colony.
Penguin colony: A breeding aggregation of penguins nesting on land or ice. Penguins form large colonies whose spacing and timing reflect local conditions.

Linked from 6 pages